Digital Commons Network^™

Clinical And Microbiological Features Of Acinetobacter Lwoffii Bacteremia In Children: A Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study, Talha Üstüntaş, Mustafa Gençeli, Şahinde Çiftçi Eryiğit, Umut Durak, Methiye Doğan, Ayşenur Gezer Buğrul, Gonca Güney, Sait Ramazan Gülbay, Özge Metin Akcan, Metin Doğan

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Acinetobacter lwoffii is an environmental organism and skin commensal with low intrinsic virulence. We describe the clinical, laboratory, and microbiological features of pediatric A. lwoffii bacteremia. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 50 pediatric patients aged 2 months to 18 years whose blood cultures grew A. lwoffii at a tertiary pediatric center between January 2015 and December 2023. Inclusion were concurrent growth in paired culture sets and specialist confirmation that the clinical findings were compatible with infection. Community- and hospital-acquired infections were compared with Mann-Whitney U and Fisher exact tests. Exact 95% confidence intervals were calculated for susceptibility estimates. Results: The …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Cpis, Cpis-Pct, And The Phoenix Sepsis Score For Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia In Critically Ill Tracheostomized Children: A Single-Center Retrospective Exploratory Study, Muhammet Safa Kütük, Abdulrahman Özel, Harun Çatak, Meltem Erol, Fatih Mete, Servet Yüce

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background: Tracheostomized pediatric patients are at increased risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and distinguishing true infection from airway colonization remains challenging. Therefore, reliable diagnostic tools are needed to support timely identification and avoid unnecessary antibiotic use. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of CPIS, CPIS–Procalcitonin (CPIS-PCT), and the Phoenix Sepsis Score (PSS) in identifying VAP in critically ill tracheostomized children. Methods: This single-center, retrospective observational study included critically ill tracheostomized children treated in a pediatric intensive care unit between January 2019 and December 2024. Patients receiving mechanical ventilation for ≥48 hours with clinical suspicion of VAP were evaluated. …

Clinical Management And Laboratory Test Utilization In Pediatric Tick Bite Presentations In A Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Endemic Region, Yusuf Deniz, Umut Durak, Sadrettin Ekmen

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: Routine laboratory test requesting is not recommended for every child presenting with a tick bite; however, the factors influencing laboratory test requesting in daily pediatric practice remain poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical management of pediatric tick bites and to identify demographic and temporal factors associated with laboratory test requesting. Methods: This retrospective, single-centre, cross-sectional study included children aged 0–18 years presenting with tick bites to a tertiary referral hospital between January 2022 and December 2024. Demographic characteristics, management, laboratory investigations, and clinical outcomes were analyzed. Independent factors associated with laboratory test requesting were evaluated using …

The Reality Of Science Teachers’ Use Of The Reciprocal Teaching Strategy And The Level Of Scientific Communication And Dialogue Skills Among Middle School Students In Sakaka City: A Proposed Framework, Bassam Fahad Alrasheid

University of Bisha Journal for Educational Sciences

This study aimed to identify the reality of science teachers’ use of the reciprocal teaching strategy, determine the level of scientific communication and dialogue skills among middle school students in Sakaka City, identify the challenges associated with its implementation, examine differences in participants’ responses according to educational qualification, years of experience, and number of training courses, and develop a proposed framework for enhancing its application. The study adopted the descriptive survey approach and included all middle school science teachers in Sakaka City (N = 40). A questionnaire consisting of 28 items distributed across three dimensions was used to collect data. …

Preliminary Molecular Identification Of A Pantoea Stewartii-Related Isolate Associated With Sorghum Leaf Blight In The Jazan Region Of Saudi Arabia And Its In Vitro Response To Solanum Incanum L. Extract, Wail Alsolami

University of Bisha Journal for Basic and Applied Sciences

Background. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) is an important cereal crop cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions, including southwestern Saudi Arabia, where bacterial diseases may threaten crop productivity and sustainability.
Objective. This study aimed to characterize a bacterial isolate associated with sorghum leaf blight symptoms in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia and to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial activity of Solanum incanum L. methanolic extract against the recovered isolate.
Methodology. Sorghum plants exhibiting leaf blight and water-soaked lesions were sampled for bacterial isolation. A representative bacterial isolate recovered from symptomatic tissues was characterized using morphological observations and 16S rRNA …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Isospectral Mesh Routing Protocols For Long-Range Civil Deep-Space Telemetry Networks, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes a decentralized, long-range mesh communication architecture designed to sustain high-fidelity telemetry routing across interplanetary and interstellar distances. Deep-space communications are fundamentally constrained by severe signal propagation latency, cosmic background radiation noise, and planetary occultation events.

This paper introduces a coordinate-free, multi-node routing protocol governed by an active Covariant Viscosity Function. By treating digital telemetry packets as an incompressible, non-linear informational fluid flow mapped across a distributed satellite node network, the system eliminates data packet scrambling. By restricting signal transmission trajectories to phase-locked, zero-divergence Beltrami pathways, the mesh network forces data routing to track perfectly parallel to the …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Covariant Viscoelastic Macro-Stabilization Arrays For Integrated Civil Electrical Distribution Grids, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an open-source, non-von Neumann electrical macro-stabilization grid network designed to insulate regional civilian power distribution infrastructure from cascading frequency phase-shifts, extreme solar weather disruptions (coronal mass ejections), and high-frequency renewable energy generation surges. Conventional electrical transmission networks are structurally bound to rigid, linear synchronous mechanical thresholds. Under sudden, non-linear load injection spikes or severe geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), these traditional grid topologies undergo severe phase-angle de-synchronization, causing catastrophic transformer saturation and regional cascading blackouts.

This paper introduces a coordinate-free transformer safety layer governed by an active Covariant Viscosity Function. By modeling high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) power distribution …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Isospectral Swarm Value Routing Protocols For Decentralized Macro-Economic Liquidity Stabilization, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an open-source, decentralized macro-economic liquidity routing network architecture designed to immunize distributed financial infrastructure from high-frequency manipulation, artificial liquidity hollowing, and systemic flash-crash cascades. Traditional centralized order books and automated market makers (AMMs) are structurally vulnerable to predatory high-frequency algorithms that withdraw liquidity during high-stress market intervals, compounding downward volatility and destabilizing public transactional clearing rails. [1, 2]

This framework establishes an ethical alternative governed by an active Covariant Viscosity Function. By modeling distributed multi-asset transactional throughput as an incompressible, non-linear informational fluid field mapped across a decentralized peer-to-peer node fabric, the system prevents …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Topological Magnetohydrodynamic Fusion Shields For Covariant Plasma Containment Regulation, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an advanced magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shield architecture designed to neutralize micro-tearing modes, edge-localized modes (ELMs), and destructive fluid turbulence within high-energy thermonuclear plasma containment vessels. Classical fusion systems (e.g., Tokamaks, Stellarators) rely on unyielding, static magnetic field loops that cannot dynamically adapt to the violent, non-linear convective spikes of highly ionized fluids, resulting in sudden boundary breaches and structural wall contact.

This paper introduces a coordinate-free magnetic stabilization layer governed by an active Covariant Viscosity Function. By coupling high-frequency gallium nitride (GaN) phase arrays directly to a non-von Neumann co-harmonic feedback mesh, the containment grid translates localized plasma …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Closed-Loop Relativistic Slingshot Navigation Engines For Autonomous Deep-Space Manifold Traversal, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an autonomous, closed-loop relativistic navigation framework that translates space-time metrics into a coordinate-free, viscoelastic fluid-gravity dual medium. Standard deep-space navigation systems rely on fragile, ground-station telemetry loops that suffer from severe propagation latency over interplanetary or interstellar distances.

This paper introduces an on-board flight optimization engine governed by an adaptive Covariant Viscosity Function. When an exploration craft executes hyper-velocity gravity assists along open hyperbolic trajectories, the navigation array measures local frame-dragging vortices and asymmetric tidal shears as real physical tension gradients. By restricting the flight vector to phase-locked, zero-divergence Beltrami configurations, the engine dynamically dampens non-linear metric …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Unified Vertical Computing Stack Matrix For Non-Von Neumann Topological Co-Harmonic Hardware, Software, And Biomolecular Storage Layer Systems, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes a fully integrated, vertical technology stack architecture that synthesizes room-temperature phononic-photonic hardware waveguides, decentralized swarm intelligence routing, and high-density macromolecular bio-storage networks into a single, cohesive computational matrix. Traditional computing systems suffer from intense thermal boundaries, data-scrambling sequence drift, and rapid storage media decay due to von Neumann architectural bottlenecks.

By applying a unified, coordinate-free effective field theory governed by a dynamically scaling Covariant Viscosity Function, this framework establishes stable, phase-locked Beltrami transport conditions across all layers of the computing stack. The physical hardware pathways, peer-to-peer data routing packets, and synthetic coiled bio-membranes are algorithmically bound to …

Technical Disclosure Specification: Nonergodic Subsystem Coherence And Macroscopic Fluid Duality Across Twisted Manifolds, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification formalizes an axiomatic bridge between the macroscopic, coordinate-free effective field theory (EFT) of twisted viscoelastic metrics, microscopic weak ergodicity breaking in quantum chaotic systems, and information retention limits in deep neural architectures. Recent developments in nonergodic quantum dynamics demonstrate that isolated, nonstationary quantum states permanently preserve a statistical memory of their initial configurations—a phenomenon known as the Universal Quantum Birthmark. This paper demonstrates that this permanent return bias is the exact microscopic, low-dimensional manifestation of a macroscopic, phase-locked Beltrami flow configuration. By mapping fluidic velocity profiles directly to probability current densities and neural attention trajectories, we prove that …

Multi-Surface Height Model For Stage Tracking And Automated Or Remote-Controlled Follow Spot Systems: Correct Target Height On Platforms, Ramps, Stairs And Moving Scenery, Paul Hermann, Michel Honold

Defensive Publications Series

A multi-surface height model lets stage tracking and automated or remote-controlled follow spot systems place targets at the correct height on platforms, risers, ramps, stairs and moving scenery, instead of on a single flat floor plane. For a camera-based tracking system that provides position data, for example to a followspot system, the stage is described in stage coordinates by several surfaces (flat platforms, inclined ramps, stairs, height grids and imported meshes), each with a footprint, an elevation function and an identity. Image points such as mouse clicks and detection or zone foot points are corrected for lens distortion, cast as …

Glycitin Primes Retinal Pigment Epithelium Resilience To High-Glucose Injury Via The Pi3k/Akt Pathway, Shwu-Jiuan Sheu, Yi-Hsiung Lin, Ching-Yu Lin, Chen-Xi He, Chia-Yang Li, Shun-Yuan Tu, Yi-Ching Tsai, Kai-Chun Cheng, Chien-Chih Chiu, Chun-Lin Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss, which is driven in part by oxidative stress-induced dysfunction of ocular tissues. We previously showed that high glucose conditions trigger senescence pathways and damage the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Here, we identify glycitin, a natural isoflavone, as a candidate cytoprotectant and define its mechanism of action in high glucose-exposed ARPE-19 cells. Using RNA-seq followed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, we mapped glycitin-responsive programs and validated key nodes experimentally. Glycitin partially restored cell proliferation, suppressed oxidative stress, and reversed high glucose-induced premature senescence, primarily through modulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. These findings …

Pb(Ii) Uptake By Alginate Beads Containing Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Activated Nanocarbon, And Their Combination: Single-Replicate Screen, Alaa Asad Bahat, Samar S. Hussein, Wafaa K. Mahmood

Engineering and Technology Journal

Calcium alginate beads loaded with heat-inactivated Saccharomyces cerevisiae or activated nanocarbon (multi-walled carbon nanotubes) were compared for Pb(II) removal. The objective was to test whether these two sorbents, which bind metals by different routes, give different uptake when prepared and tested in the same way. The novelty lies in this side-by-side comparison within one matrix, evaluated against propagated analytical uncertainty and a mass balance of the bead solids. Beads were made at two sorbent loadings (0.6 and 0.8 g per 4.0 g of alginate), and 1.0 g of wet beads was contacted with 500 mL of Pb(II) solution at 58–496 …

Considering Participatory Illustration Forlgbtq+ Inclusion In Climate Discussions: Transformative Learning Theory And Identity: Imagining Sustainable Developments, Discussing Education Futures, Devon Tipping

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Historically climate discussions have been influenced by dominant discourses that frequently overlook intersectional perspectives. To address this, this article explores how participatory illustration, as a process for listening, reflecting, and co-creating meaning, can enable individuals to consider alternative perspectives on climate discussions in inclusive and transformative ways. As a form of artistic research, illustration moves beyond visual representation to prioritise community-driven strategies for fostering climate solutions and amplifying marginalised voices. This research, formed of five participatory illustration-led workshops with LGBTQ+ individuals in the South-west of England, sought to explore how participatory illustration can foster inclusive climate discussions. Drawing upon transformative …

Effective Strategies Warehouse Managers Use To Reduce Inventory Inaccuracies And Improve Order Fulfillment, Joseph D. Huewitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inventory inaccuracies can disrupt order fulfillment, increase operational costs, and reduce organizational profitability. Without effective strategies to address these inaccuracies, warehouse managers may struggle to maintain operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall organizational performance. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore effective strategies warehouse managers use to reduce inventory inaccuracies and improve order fulfillment. Participants were four warehouse managers in the southeastern United States. Transformational leadership theory and theory of constraints grounded the research project. Data were collected through semistructured interviews a review of operational documents. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) …

A Systematic Review Of Cipp Model Implementation In Educational Program Evaluation: A Comparative Study Of Türkiye And Indonesia, Zahid Zufar At Thaariq, Memet Karakuş, Fatma Altun

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study compares CIPP (context, input, process, product) evaluation model implementation in educational programs across Türkiye (Turkey) and Indonesia through a systematic literature review. Despite structural similarities as Muslim-majority countries, no comparative research has examined how national contexts shape CIPP application in both settings.

Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a Scopus search yielded 25 empirical studies (seven from Türkiye and 18 from Indonesia) analyzed using directed content analysis and comparative methods.

Results: Findings reveal two contrasting national patterns: (1) Türkiye’s “systematic formalism,” characterized by structured processes, standardized methodologies, and European Union policy …

Usa V. James Bost

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Creative Conversations: The Un-Meeting As An Approach To Agricultural Extension Communication, Jessica R. Spence, Eric K. Kaufman, Megan M. Seibel, Jean A. Parrella, Crystal Tyler-Mackey, Benjamin B. Grove, Bolane Adebayo, Olamide Olowoyo, Sonika Poudel, Stephanie Zhu, Michael Gutter

Journal of Extension

The agricultural industry increasingly faces complex challenges that require diverse stakeholder input, and traditional meeting approaches often limit engagement and perpetuate top-down dynamics that can inhibit effective problem-solving. This article explores the ``un-meeting'' format as an alternative, highlighting its ability to foster inclusive, participant-driven discussions that encourage collaborative brainstorming and actionable outcomes. Based on our experience with a statewide agriculture summit, we discuss the principles underlying un-meetings, the facilitation process, and the practical implications for Extension professionals. Recommendations include the importance of knowledgeable facilitators, a large team for effective management, and limiting session cycles to maintain focus and depth in …

Spartan Daily, October 13, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 167, Issue 22

Clinic White Paper: Usd Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic, Nicholas Boyd, Lauren Bruaski

Community Engagement

California is home to over 1.8 million veterans and 18,000 National Guard members, representing one of the largest military-connected populations in the United States. Despite substantial demand, over 50% of veterans experiencing mental health symptoms do not seek treatment, while those seeking care within federal systems frequently face significant wait times. This academic white paper evaluates the operational framework, clinical effectiveness, and workforce expansion model of the University of San Diego (USD) Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic – Veterans Initiative. Utilizing a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth model paired with a tiered supervision structure, the clinic provides evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) at no cost …

Pilgrimage To Oslo’S Holmenkollen Ski Hill And Museum: T Orbjorn Yggeseth Stars For Norway And The University Of Washington, John Lundin

Works by Local Authors

Author describes his visit to the Holmenkollen Ski Hill and Museum and describes Torbjorn Yggeseth's competition in the northwest.

Comparing The Working Conditions Of Principals And Assistant Principals In South Carolina, Brian Cartiff, Angela Starrett, Svetlana Dmitrieva

Reports

School administrators’ working conditions are closely linked to important professional outcomes, including their well-being, job satisfaction, and future career plans (Collie et al., 2020; Marsh et al., 2023; Mitani, 2018; Starrett et al., 2026; Steiner et al., 2022). Yet research on administrators' working conditions has focused primarily on principals, with comparatively little attention to assistant principals despite their central role in school leadership and daily operations (Barnett et al., 2012; Goldring et al., 2021). As a result, it remains unclear whether the working conditions associated with principals’ job satisfaction and intent to remain in their school leadership roles operate similarly …

Small Business Resilience During Inflation: Strategic Decision Making Under Economic Pressure, Wakeelah Gladney-Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inflation has the potential to adversely affect the sustainability and long-term viability of small businesses. Small business owners are concerned with maintaining organizational resilience because prolonged inflation can increase operating costs, reduce profit margins, and threaten business continuity. Grounded by Fiedler’s contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the financial and strategic planning strategies successful small business owners use to maintain profitability and operational stability during periods of inflation. The participants were 10 small business owners who had operated their businesses for at least 3 years and were responsible for strategic decision making. Data were …

Lived Experiences Of Fathers: Parental Leave, Leadership, And Organizational Belonging, Jenny Frost

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fathers’ parental leave experiences are shaped by organizational policies, workplace culture, leadership behaviors, and the developmental transition into fatherhood. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of fathers in the United States as they navigated parental leave within the workplace and made meaning of organizational leadership and workplace culture. The study was guided by Super’s life-span, life-space theory, Erikson’s psychosocial theory, and Kanter’s theory of structural empowerment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight fathers who had experienced parental leave within the previous five years. Data were analyzed using transcendental phenomenological procedures, including bracketing, …

Childcare Teachers’ Perspectives On The Sufficiency Of Their Safety Training, Mary Hipp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young children are still developing, which makes them vulnerable and puts them at risk for safety incidents. The problem that was addressed through this study was that in many childcare centers’ children are unsafe because incidents that affect children’s physical safety occur frequently. Guided by Noe’s elements of effective training, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore childcare teachers’ perspectives on the sufficiency of training they have received to respond to incidents that affect children’s physical safety, to prevent future incidents from happening, and the factors they believe would increase the effectiveness of such training. Data were …

Building Resilience: The Role Of Extension In Enhancing Mental Health And Well-Being Through Preventive Approaches, Lakshmi Mahadevan

Journal of Extension

In 2023, 58.7 million U.S. adults experienced a mental illness, yet nearly half did not receive treatment (SAMHSA, 2023). Building Resilience is a single-session, evidence-informed program delivered through Cooperative Extension to address mental well-being using practical, nonclinical strategies. Grounded in Antonovsky's (1979) Sense of Coherence framework, the program centers on self-awareness, emotional regulation, and stress management within each participant's lived experience. Evaluation data from 347 participants showed high satisfaction, with 88% planning to apply strategies and 77% anticipating improved well-being. A 2-hour facilitator training supports national scalability, positioning Extension as a key partner in resilience-based mental health promotion.

Strengthening Communities With Extension's People Empowering People Program, Stacey F. Stearns, Faye Griffiths-Smith

Journal of Extension

Programs that encourage personal growth, community connections, and civic engagement are even more essential as digital technology and virtual platforms disconnect residents from communities. The University of Connecticut People Empowering People (UConn PEP) program is one option. It strengthens individuals and communities through a 10-week facilitated program, hosted by the community, and taught by UConn-trained facilitators. UConn PEP has expanded to other states, was translated to Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese, and three other countries expressed interest in offering the PEP curriculum. Programs such as this are an area for continuous expansion as Extension adapts to the changing needs of audiences.

Learning From The Field: Reflections On The Use Of Theory, Mixed Methods And Case Study Design To Explore Implementation And Experience In Mental Health Crisis Services For Children And Young People, Aled Jones

School of Nursing and Midwifery

This article arises from a theory-informed, sequential, mixed methods project which combined a survey and multiple nested case studies to examine implementation and experience in the context of mental health crisis services for children and young people in England and Wales. Its primary contribution to mixed methods research is to show how theory, mixed methods and case studies can be practicably brought together to improve understanding of complex interventions introduced into complex systems. It makes a further contribution through a reflective exploration of the implementation of mixed methods research in sensitive fields involving vulnerable groups, by specifically exploring: participation and …